Sawyers Transport signs Michelin solutions Effitires tyre management contract

Northern Ireland-based haulier Sawyers Transport has signed up to Michelin solutions’ Effitires tyre management system. The company said it expects the programme to streamline tyre administration and management for the company’s 550 commercial vehicle assets.

The price-per-kilometre (PPK) deal will cover the company’s mixed fleet of 300 refrigerated and curtain-sided trailers and 250 tractor units, which consists of a mix of MAN, Renault, Scania and Volvo trucks. It replaced a previous agreement which saw Sawyers Transport operating a mixed tyre policy through a local service provider.

George Lee, operations director at Sawyers Transport, says: “Signing up to Michelin Solutions’ Effitires tyre management programme is another example of our commitment to delivering the best possible service to our customers.

“The sheer amount of time saved by Michelin solutions handling our tyre management processes is priceless for the future growth of the business. With tyre fitting and husbandry being managed elsewhere, we can get back to what we do best – ensuring our customers’ cargos arrive on time, every time.”

He adds: “The agreement means we will be getting the best from every Michelin casing in terms of durability, longevity and safety, and being able to access in-depth analysis of the tyre budget, mileage statistics and regular tyre inspection reports streamlines the company’s day-to-day operations and cuts down on red tape.”

The company’s fleet will sport Michelin X MultiWay 3D XDE and XZE tyres – the manufacturer’s latest generation regional tyre series. Michelin Solutions adopted a joint approach to Sawyers Transport’s Effitires programme alongside A One Tyres, a Michelin Durable Partner, which is responsible for servicing the haulier’s fleet.

Signing up to the Effitires solution provides Sawyers Transport with the services of a dedicated team of auditors, fleet operators and business support personnel, to ensure its tyres are serviced to the highest possible standards. The programme also offers a predictable tyre budget linked to fleet activity, and allows the company to keep up to date with its tyre usage statistics through regular reporting and feedback.

Michelin solutions will also carry out fleet‐wide tyre safety inspections and develop a shared action plan to ensure harmonised operations. The company says this will cut complexity while ensuring safety, regulatory compliance and peace of mind.

Founded with one vehicle in 1970, today’s Sawyers Transport formed as a company in 1991, and operates from sites in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and England, while also offering warehousing, freight forwarding and chilled storage services. The company runs daily routes between the UK and Ireland, as well as weekly deliveries of full loads and groupage to France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and Switzerland, and was named Tesco chilled haulier of the year in 2012 and 2014.